8 Greatest Transitional WWE Champions Of All Time
1. The Iron Sheik
The Iron Sheik was a pretty divisive character in his time and remains a bit alienating to modern fans as well. Some fans viewed his antics as too bizarre and too over-the-top, particularly toward the end of his career, while others admire his unrelenting dedication to being the biggest heel he could possibly be.
But regardless of how you feel about his character or his abilities as a wrestler, it's tough to undersell just how important the Sheik was in moving the WWE forward as a worldwide promotion.
Bob Backlund was the last true territorial champ in the WWE. His four year reign stretching from 1979 to 1983 was the last time the company would be viewed as a north east territory. Then the Sheik came along to literally transition the WWE into the more colorful, globally recognized company it would become under Hulk Hogan's reign.
That's a huge accomplishment for a man who held the WWE Championship for just 28 days. He deserves plenty of credit for ushering in the era of Hulkamania.
André the Giant's feud may have cemented Hogan's legacy, but The Iron Sheik was the first to help launch it into the stratosphere. It's not an overstatement to suggest that, without the Sheik's transitional reign, Hulkamania would not have happened.